Birdproofing



Jan. 11,1949. J. s. PELES 2,458,727

BIRDPROOFING Filed June 27, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR mums $TNLQYPELEQ) ATTORN EY Jan. I J. PELES BIRDPROOFING Filed June 27, 1944 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR JULEUS TfiNLEY ELE ATORNEY Patented Jan. 11,1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,458,727 BIRDPROOFING Julius Stanley'Peles, New York, N. Y. ApplicationJune 27, 1944', Serial No. 542,348 9'claims. (oi; 20-1) This invention relates to birdproofing and it hasamong its objects the provision of improved devices which can bemanufactured more cheap- 1y andwhich are better adapted for shipmentincompact form.

Because birdproofing is often used in very considerable lengths forapplicationon large buildings, the problem of shipment is generallyserious. This problem is aggravated by the usually rigid structuresemployed which render the birdproofing cumbersome for packaging andshipment.

Since the wire of which birdproofingis made generally requires permanentjoints for suitable rigidity to maintain the structures employed inoperative form, to prevent access of birdsinto relatively small spaces,it has been customary to produce such joints by soldering or spotwelding. This has resulted in making birdproofing expensive', because ofthe great number of joints involved;

It is an object of'this invention to provide bird'- proofing which shallavoid the aforesaid difiiculties and afford structures which areinexpensive to manufacture and which can be shipped in knocked-down formfor rapid and. easy assembling at the location at which it is to beinstalled, andwithout requiringany particular skill in so doing, withresultant joints which are strong and durable and form arigidorresilient engagement so that the interconnected parts are freeof'vibration and cannot accidentally move to upset the critical spacingemployed to prevent birds from alighting on'the protected parts of abuildmg.

Anotherobject of the invention is the provision of such improvedbirdproofing for birds of difierent sizes such as pigeons, starlings andsparrows.

Another object of the invention is to furnish birdproofing' havingimproved means whereby it can be secured in every conceivable location,and in dlmcult places, on narrow ledges, fences and soon.

Another object of the invention is to furnish improved birdproofingwhich can be arranged and rearranged at the building to suit the varyingconditions encountered at different points along aledge.

Another object of the invention is to con." struct improvedbirdproofing-which can be. readily modified after installationtoincrease the density ofthebirdproofing or to otherwise vary the sameaccording to the type of birds encountered.

This application is a division of my application Serial No. 512,951,filed Dec. 4, 1943.

Other objects and advantages of theinvention will become apparent as thespecification proceeds.

With the aforesaid objects in view, thev invention consists in the novelcombinations and arrangements of'parts hereinafterdescribed in theirpreferred embodiments, pointed out in the appended claims andillustrated in the annexed drawings, wherein like parts are designatedby the same reference characters throughout the several views.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of birdproofing which embodies the presentinvention with the parts thereof inrelative positions they assume whilebeing assembled".

Fig. 2 is a similar view with the parts in their assembled relativepositions.

Fig.33'is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged View in elevation with parts in section of. adetail of the construction shown in the preceding figures, andindicating in dot-dashlines the resilientaction at the joints to preventvibration.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 4 illustrating theassembling operation.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective View of a modified structure whichalso embodies this invention.

Referring to the drawings, IS in Figs. 1-3 designates myimproved'birdproofing. This comprises two identical track wires l6having equally spaced vertical loops l'l formed therein. The specificformof these loops is shown inv Fig. 4. Each. is open at the bottom, sothat its sides 18 are adapted to act resiliently. Normally, the loop isin the condition shown in dot-dash lines, andwhen in use, as in Figs. 2and 3, the loops are in the condition shown in full lines in Fig. 4. Thelower part of the loop is narrowed to form a constricted neck, and whenthe parts are assembled this constriction is increased by caus ing thesides l8 to be bent toward each other. As the wires I6 are relativelythick, say 3% or /8 inchstock, the spring action involved isconsiderable. Intermediate of or adjacent to the ends of thewires l6,loops l9 normal to the loops ll are formed for anchorage means toreceive nails, screws, bolts, hooks or other fastenings for securing thetrack Wires on a ledge, fence, or some part-of a building. The extremeend portions of the wires I6 are bent upwardly at- 20 to formbirdproofing elements as hereinafter described.

Supported by the track wires i6 is a series of vertical U-shaped wiremembers 2i, 22, 23 which may be of diiierent heights, but are otherwiseidentical. Experience has indicated that the height of the verticalwires should be about two inches for sparrows, four inches for starlingsand six inches: for pigeons. In principle, if a bird attempts to alight,the upright wires should prevent it from folding its wings, and thiswill cause the bird to go elsewhere. Although the device I5 indicateswires of different regularly recurrent heights, it is to be understoodthat the wires may all be of the same height according to the birds thatfrequent the building. While it may be assumed that the six inch Wiresshould keep away the smaller as well as larger birds, yet in practice asmaller bird might be able to alight between the wires, a result itcould less easily accomplish if the wires were shorter so that theirupper ends are more immediately adjacent to the bird for obstructing andrendering its movements uncomfortable. The use of shorter and longerwires thus represents a compromise in endeavoring to furnishbirdproofing for birds of different varieties common in urban areas,especially as it has been observed that even the shorter wires willoften discourage the larger birds.

The ends of the members 2|, 22, 23 are straight vertical wires betweenwhich are intermediate portions 24 that may be straight or curved, eachof which is provided with a pair of identical loops lying in generallyhorizontal planes. These loops are formed by simple turns of the wire,the stiifness and strength of the wire being relied up to maintain theoperative shape of the loops. The inner transverse dimension of the loopis somewhat less than the outer dimension of the restricted part of thenecks of the loops I! but their diagonal dimension is sufilcient toclear the widest parts of the loops H to facilitate assembling of thebirdproofing as hereinafter described. The track loops I! extend upwardthrough the loops 25 so as to engage at the contracted portion thereofas in Fig. 4. Hence the track loops form heads interlocked with theloops 25 to prevent removal of the wires 2 I, 22 and 23. Further, thetrack loops are under resilient pressure as they tend to expand, andthus snugly hold the wires 2 I, 22, 23 without any possible vibration.The space protected by these upright wires is closed at its ends by thetrack wire portions 20.

For installing the birdproofing the track wires !6 may be cut tosuitable lengths or shipped in coil form. These wires are laid on aledge and only the lower one, as shown in Fig. l is secured at its endsby a screw passing through the left hand loop 19 and a staple 5 over thewire l6 near its other end. The upper track wire is positioned parallelto the lower one but offset to the left to bring its loops l1 intodiagonal relation tothe corresponding loops of the lower track wire.Then the cross wire members 2|, 22, 23 are applied. In the diagonalposition shown, these loops 25 will clear the loops 11. Then the uppertrack wire is pulled to the right to the position in which it is shownin Fig. 2. This causes the cross wires to swing clockwise and theirloops 25 will spring the loops I"! from the dot-dash position in Fig. 4to the full line position, thus forming a snug engagement.

In Fig. 5 the loop 25 is shown at A in dotted lines in the diagonalposition in which it is passed over the loop l1. It is then turned in aclockwise direction to the position B, shown in dot-dash lines when itslonger sides engage the neck of the loop I! in its expended condition.Further turning of the loop 25 in the same direction brings it to theposition C shown in full lines where the neck of loop I! is contractedbetween the longer sides of loop 25. The upper track wire is then forcedas far away from the lower track wire as the loops 25 will allow and isafiixed to the base structure by screws passing through its loops l9 andanother screw passed through the right hand loop of the lower trackwire.

In Fig. 6 is shown a modification 30 according to which U-shaped wiressimilar to those shown at 2|, 22, 23 in the previous figures can besecured in place with a single wire track. This is often desirable as onrather narrow ledges, or on ledges which are of special shape orconstruction. The track wire 3! is bent to cross itself at 32 and toform a base portion 33, and a diagonally upright portion 34. Twoparallel parts of the wire form the portions 33 and 34 and they arejoined at the upper end of the diagonal portion as at 35, thus formingan upstanding loop. A series of such loops is formed in the track wireand it is .bent near its ends into loops 36 for the reception offastening devices. Beyond the loops 36 the track wire is bent to formupstanding portions such as 37.

U-shaped wire members are secured to the track wire. Each of thesemembers has two vertical fingers 40 and 4 I. The finger 48. passesbetween the parallel wires 34 and abuts the loop 35 in the track wire.Below the diagonal Wires 34 it is bent downwardly and outwardly, asshown at 42 and then upwardly as shown at 43 to form a bight 44 whichengages the track wire where it is crossed, as at 32. The part 43 passesbetween the wires 34 at a point spaced from the loop 35 and then extendsdownwardly as shown at 45 to the base of the finger 4i. The resiliencyof the track wire holds the U-shaped wire members securely in desiredposition. When the track wire is secured to a base the corners betweenthe portions 44 and the fingers 41 are drawn down onto the base.

Various modifications in construction, mode of operation, method and useof an invention may and do occur to others, especially after benefittingfrom knowledge of such disclosure as that herein presented of theprinciples involved, but the invention itself is not confined tothepresent showing.

I claim:

1. Bird proofing comprising a pair of parallel separate resilient trackwires, each having base portions in longitudinal alinement withopenended loops at spaced intervals between said base portions extendingvertically therefrom, with restricted neck portions near said baseportions, and a plurality of separable wire elements, each comprising apair of parallel fingers and an interconnecting portion transverse tothe track wires, each of said transverse portions having a pair ofspaced closed loops therein normal to said fingers arranged to be seatedon the base portions of the track wires, opposite inner sides of theloops in said elements being arranged to be engaged under pressure bythe neck portions of the loops in the track wires to maintain thefingers in substantially vertical positions.

2. Birdproofing comprising a resilient track wire having base portionsand formed with vertically disposed open ended loops between its baseportions, separable wire elements having a pair of fingers, and anintermediate connecting portion with a closed loop therein normal to thefingers, said closed loop having a diagonal inner dimension ofsufficient size to pass over the loops in the track wire and a shortertransverse dimension.

3. Birdproofing comprising a resilient track wire having base portionsand formed with vertically disposed open ended loops between its baseportions with restricted neck portions near. said base portions,separable wire elements having a pair of fingers and an intermediateconnecting portion with a closed loop therein normal to the fingers,said closed loop having a diagonal inner dimension of sufiicient size topass over the loops in the track wire and a transverse inner dimensionshorter than the normal outer dimension of the neck portions of saidloops in the track wire.

4. Birdproofing comprising a resilient track wire having base portionsand formed with open ended loops between its base portions, means forsecuring said track wire to a support with its loops in a verticalposition, separable wire elements having a pair of fingers and anintermediate connecting portion with a closed loop therein normal to thefingers, said closed loop having a diagonal inner dimension ofsufiicient size to pass over the loops in the track wire and atransverse inner dimension shorter than the normal outer dimension ofthe neck portions of said loops in the track wire.

5. Birdproofing comprising a resilient track wire having base portionsand formed with open ended loops between its base portions with restricted neck portions near said base portions, means for securing saidtrack wire to a support with its loops in a vertical position, separablewire elements having a pair of fingers and an intermediate connectingportion with a closed loop therein normal to the fingers, said closedloop having a diagonal inner dimension of sulficient size to pass overthe loops in the track wire and a transverse inner dimension shorterthan the normal outer dimension of the neck portions of said loops inthe track wire.

6. Birdproofing comprising a pair of like resilient track wires havingbase portions and formed with vertically disposed open ended loopsbetween their base portions, separable wire elements having a pair offingers, and an intermediate connecting portion with a pair of spacedclosed loops therein normal to the fingers, said closed loops havingdiagonal inner dimensions of sufficient size to pass over the loops inthe track wire and shorter transverse dimensions.

'7. Birdproofing comprising a pair of like resilient track wires havingbase portions and formed with vertically disposed open ended loopsbetween their base portions with restricted neck portions near said baseportions, separable wire elements having a pair of fingers and anintermediate connecting portion with a pair of spaced closed loopstherein normal to the fingers, said closed loops having diagonal innerdimensions of suflicient size to pas over the loops in the track wireand transverse inner dimensions shorter than the normal outer dimensionsof the neck portions of the loops in the track wire.

8. Birdproofing comprising a pair of like resilient track wires havingbase portions and formed with open ended loops between their baseportions, means for securing said track wires to a support with theirloops in vertical positions, separable wire elements having a pair offingers and an intermediate connecting portion having a pair of spacedclosed loops therein normal to the fingers, said closed loops havingdiagonal inner dimensions of sufiicient size to pass over the loops inthe track wire and shorter transverse dimension.

9. Birdproofing comprising a pair of like resilient track wires havingbase portions and formed with open ended loops between their baseportions with restricted neck portions near said base portions, meansfor securing said track wires to a support with its loops in verticalpositions, separable wire elements having a pair of fingers and anintermediate connecting portion with a pair of spaced closed loopstherein normal to the fingers, said closed loops having diagonal innerdimensions of sufficient size to pass over the loops in the track wireand transverse inner dimensions shorter than the normal outer dimensionof the neck portions of said loops in the track wire.

JULIUS STANLEY PELES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 108,491 Lee Oct. 18, 18701,500,832 Ludwik July 8, 1924 2,063,827 Place Dec. 8, 1936 2.142371Peles Jan. 3, 1939

